The Run

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Three days later, I was still waking up to the same snoring in my ear. It was like I had fallen asleep next to a tamed troll, not a 17 year old boy. How does he not wake himself up?! I sighed, he had his arms wrapped so tightly around my waist that I wouldn’t be able to move without waking him up... Not that I needed too, because at that moment a loud knocking came from the front door, waking Oratio up with a jolt and making Zenobio cry.

“You get the door, I’ll get the baby. It’s time to feed him anyway.” I soothed, his grumpy face soon relaxing into a more playful one.

“Alright. Shall we go out for breakfast again, or will you attempt to teach me like you did at dinner last night?” I scowled, remembering the charred remains of beef he had attempted to serve me last night. “I’ll cook, you stay out of the kitchen.”  I snickered as he pouted at me, both of us clamouring out of bed.

I heard the door open just as I pulled a crying Zeno into my arms, shushing him.

“WE’RE BEING INVADED BY A SCOOTER GANG!” An unknown male voice shrieked. Yes, he shrieked. I sighed as Zeno only screamed louder at the noise. “Calm down...” I could almost hear Oratio wincing downstairs. Calming the baby, I went to go and see what all of the drama was about.

“What’s going on?” I walk into the entranceway to see a darkhaired boy, about the same age as Oratio looking back at me wide-eyed.

“Brooooooo! THAT’S your mate? What a hottie.”

“I have a name.” I hissed back at him, as Oratio growled “Mine.”

The newcomer shifted awkwardly “Right... So... My name is,” Dickhead, I silently finished for him in my head “David.” Well, still has a ‘D’ in it, might as well be the same thing “Seriously though dude. There’s a huge gang of scooters riding through town right now. You should see it, it’s mad.” I couldn’t help but chuckle at ‘David’s’ earnest tone.

“Couldn’t you have bothered me about something more important than this?” Oratio practically whined

“A gang of scooters? I have to see this. Do I have time to chance and feed this one before they go?” I laughed

David looked at me, surprised. “yeah, they’re eating at the old diner.”

“Well then, it’s settled. I’m no longer cooking breakfast. Oratio is taking us all out for a complimentary breakfast at the old diner!” I practically yelled in glee as Zeno gurgled from my arms. I couldn’t help but chuckle at myself. I was quickly getting used to the differences in language over here in America, and I still hadn’t let slip any Australian slang. I was a BAWSS... Okay, I was really lame, but anyway...

I rushed up the stairs to get ready, leaving the two surprised teenagers downstairs.

Half an hour later we’re all in the diner, Oratio making sure to order me the exact same thing as before, while I reluctantly leave a gurgling Zeno in his pram in order to leave my hands free. David was right; the town WAS being invaded by scooters. The diner was absolutely FULL of people, and there 20-30 scooters parked outside. I’m surprised the diner managed to fit this many people inside of it.

Of all the things to happen, it’s a gang of scooters. Not even motorbikes. This is definitely the weirdest month I’ve ever had in my entire life. Birth, death, staying in one place, scooter gangs, werewolves... I have to get out here before I go entirely stark raving mad and begin to think that this is normal or something. I glance down at Zeno quickly, he’ll be able to shift fully soon, as though he can read my thoughts, Zeno suddenly smiles up at me happily, as the fur covering his face starts to shimmer. It wouldn’t be long now.

“Oratio..” David’s voice broke me away from my thoughts of escape, his doggish face contorted into what was, I supposed, meant to be a serious face. It made him look as though he was trying to do an imitation of an angry goblin. “I called you out here for a reason... I needed to talk to you about pack stuff...” David glanced at me guiltily, silently asking me for privacy. “Go on then.” Oratio smiles at him warmly, seemingly unaware of David’s unease about talking in front of me. “No, you two continue. I should get Zeno home anyway; I don’t him to be around too many strange people.” I wrinkle my nose, trying to sound convincing when the real reason I wanted to go wasn’t to give them privacy, but to put my things away so that I could leave soon.

David’s eyes warmed in relief. “Are you sure?” Oratio looks at me uneasily. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. David can give you a lift back, right?” I look at the boy I had chosen to nickname dickhead sternly, as if I cared... I tried to convince myself that I didn’t, when David broke in with “Sure. I’ll give him a lift home, don’t worry.” And he tried to flash me a convincing smile, which made him look like he was constipated.

Smiling back at him, I cover Zeno so that the others in the diner wouldn’t be able to see him, and I push him out of the diner, and into the car. It wouldn’t be long now. Not long at all...

Everything was going the way I thought it would, until a heavily muscled and tattooed man stood in front of the stroller, causing me to almost bump into him. “Oh, sorry.” I attempt a smile. What the hell is this stupid OAF doing?! I watch as the man turns and smirks at me “Oh, what’s a poor lost lamb like you doing out here alone with a baby?” Oh for crying out loud, I’m outside a DINER isn’t it obvious what I’m doing?! STUPID FAT HOBBIT. I scowl “Well, I just ate didn’t I? What else would I be doing out here? Catching leprechauns?” I start to push the stroller around him, but he sidesteps. “Now... Come on girl... Can’t let a fine girl like you be all alone...” Wait... He said what...? Frozen in place, I stand helpless as the man walks closer to me... Before Zeno started screaming at the top of his lungs, causing Oratio to look out the window and see the predicament I was in.

Great. Now I would have to deal with him again before I could be home alone. All because of this stupi-the door of the diner made a sound as the movement caused a bell to go off. Seeing my chance, I lift my foot and WHAM right in the crown jewels. “I hope I won’t be seeing you around, mate.” I spat at the ugly man that had interrupted me, and was now kneeling on the floor in pain.

Hurrying to the car, I open it and put Zeno in it, packing away the stroller before Oratio would be able to untangle himself from David and come and ask me what had happened. Hahahaha! MY ESCAPE FROM ZE DINER HAS BEEN DONEE!! I can’t help but let out an evil laugh in my joy. It’s the first time that things have gone in my favour since I first got to this god-forsaken town. I certainly wouldn’t allow myself to be stuck here.

I pull myself from my thoughts , and instead concentrate on the road. With my luck, I’d probably get into a accident just because I managed to escape the Diner, and then I may not be leaving this town at all, forever. I sigh at my own morbid thought. Oh well, better not to have my head stuck in fairytales, right?

It seemed like a hundred years before I saw myself driving up to the house of the mansion and rushing inside, Zeno already attached to my hip, the car off and in the garage. Everyone in this town has the crazies, it seemed. I don’t know how I’ve managed to survive for this long surrounded by drongos... The floorboards creaked behind me.

Someone else was in the house, and I was alone with my boy. I had just enough time to panic, before a man’s hand covered my mouth, and a strangely smelling rag was shoved under my nose. Then the world went black